Two British tourists, a 17-year-old boy and a 46-year-old man, have drowned while swimming at a beach in Seventeen Seventy, a popular tourist town in Queensland, Australia.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident occurred on Sunday, and both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene after being rescued by a police helicopter.
A third person, an Australian man from Monto, was swept out to sea and is currently in a life-threatening condition with serious head injuries. It’s unclear whether he attempted to rescue the two tourists.
The beach where the incident occurred is not patrolled by lifeguards, with the nearest one being over 50 kilometers away.
Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Darren Everard emphasised the importance of seeking local knowledge and swimming between designated flags to stay safe.
According to Royal Life Saving Australia, 107 people drowned in Australia last year, with 25% of them being foreign-born.
Everard noted that most coastal fatalities occur around creeks and headlands at high tide, when conditions can become chaotic.
